DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
RESTORE - RECOVER - REGAIN
Depression and anxiety
As with any disease, treatment must be customized to a specific diagnosis. A therapeutic plan for diagnosing depression and an anxiety disorder should be designed to help the person manage and reduce the symptoms of both disorders, often at the same time. Some people may suffer from a disorder that causes the most distress, and it is reasonable to treat it first.
For example: if a person with severe depression is unable to initiate treatment for anxiety disorder, which requires high motivation and energy, it may be necessary to treat the depression first. However, it is often difficult to determine the dominant symptom set, so both may start to be treated at the same time.
Treatment of anxiety disorders and depression
Depression disorders and anxiety can often be treated in the same way. In many cases, treatment can be designed for the individual to reduce the symptoms of both disorders. Several forms of psychotherapy are effective. Among these, CBT or cognitive-behavioral therapy substitutes negative and non-productive patterns of thinking with more realistic and useful ones. These treatments focus on taking specific steps to overcome anxiety and depression. Treatment often involves addressing one’s fears as part of the recovery path. Personal treatment and troubleshooting are also effective. Medicines can also be helpful. Symptoms of depression and anxiety disorders often occur together, and research shows that both respond to treatment with selective serotonin absorption inhibitors (SSRI) and SR3-NRIs (SNRI). Other medications may be used if SSRI or SNRI does not provide sufficient improvement. Psychotherapy can be combined with pharmacotherapy for people with severe symptoms or functional impairment.